In some ways it is odd to celebrate Independence Day in our country. After all, I don't think we really define ourselves any more by our rebellion against the British Crown. Heck, the Brits are sort of our friends these days, and have been for some time. As embodiments of our political system, wouldn't Constitution Day be a better marker, or something tied to the adoption of the Bill of Rights, certainly a fundamental expression of what it means to be American?
But we have Independence Day instead, and that's not necessarily so bad. Much of what later became our political system was foreshadowed in the list of grievances, and assertion of rights, in the Declaration of Independence.
The Founding Fathers were men -- often brilliant, often equally flawed, possessed of both wisdom and pettiness. Yet, wherever they fell short, however their words did not meet their actions, or their passions turned them in ways more destructive than constructive, what they wrought on July of 1776 -- and in the decades to come -- was astonishing, and a blessing to us. John Adams, querulous but passionate for independence and liberty; Thomas Jefferson, possessed of both the brilliance and blindness of the ivory tower; Ben Franklin, George Washington, Jay, Madison, Monroe, "and the rest" -- did something (sometimes in spite of themselves, but mostly through intent) truly marvelous, in laying down the philosophical and legal basis for this nation. It's not perfect, any more than any human institution could be, but it's a damned sight better than many and most, I think.
And for that, and for what they suffered in doing so (and do not doubt that, particularly in the earliest years of the Revolution, that the sacrifices they made were very real), we ought to take a moment this day to be grateful.
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I had intended to put up a little something about the holiday yesterday, but after reading what ***Dave wrote, I couldn't come up with anything better to say. So go read what he said instead and add a hearty "Hear hear!" onto the end ...
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If I were a teacher, I'd collect some of the 4th posts and read one of them to my students each week. I wish kids knew that passion for our country exists in people who care enough to write about it.
On Independence day I cruised around my favorite blogs, enjoying the posts. Thank you.
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